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Thrice I tried to enter into conversation with her； but each time she shook her head without turning round； and I gave it up。
I was frankly puzzled by her words and conduct of an hour before； was it merely one of the trickeries of Le Mire or… I was interested in the question as one is always interested in a riddle； but I tossed it from my mind； promising myself a solution on the morrow； and gave my attention to the vagaries of nature about me。
We were passing through a cleft between two massive rocks； some three or four hundred yards in length。 Ahead of us； at the end of the passage； a like boulder fronted us。
Our footfalls echoed and reechoed from wall to wall； the only other sound was the eery moaning of the wind that reached our ears with a faintness which only served to increase its effect。 Here and there were apertures large enough to admit the entrance of a horse and rider； and in many places the sides were crumbling。
I was reflecting； I remember； that the formation was undoubtedly one of limestone； with here and there a layer of quartzite； when I was aroused by a shout from Harry。
I approached。 Harry and Desiree； with Felipe； the arriero； had halted and were gazing upward at the wall of rock which barred the exit from the passage。 Following their eyes； I saw lines carved on the rock； evidently a rude and clumsy attempt to reproduce the form of some animal。
The thing was some forty feet or so above us and difficult to see clearly。
〃I say it's a llama；〃 Harry was saying as I stopped at his side。
〃My dear boy；〃 returned Desiree； 〃don't you think I know a horse when I see one？〃
〃When you see one； of course；〃 said Harry sarcastically。 〃But who ever saw a horse with a neck like that？〃
As for me； I was really interested； and I turned to the arriero for information。
〃Si； senor；〃 said Felipe； 〃Un caballo。〃
〃But who carved it？〃
Felipe shrugged his shoulders。
〃Is it new…Spanish？〃
Another shrug。 I became impatient。
〃Have you no tongue？〃 I demanded。 〃Speak！ If you don't know the author of that piece of equine art say so。〃
〃I know； senor。〃
〃You know？〃
〃Si； senor。〃
〃Then； for Heaven's sake； tell us。〃
〃His story？〃 pointing to the figure on the rock。
〃Yes； idiot！〃
Without a sign of interest； Felipe turned twice around； found a fortable rock； sat down； rolled a cigarette； lighted it； and began。 He spoke in Spanish dialect； I shall preserve the style as far as translation will permit。
〃Many； many years ago； senor； Atahualpa； the Inca； son of Huayna…Capac； was imprisoned at Cajamarco。 Four； five hundred years ago； it was。 By the great Pizarro。 And there was gold at Cuzco； to the south； and Atahualpa； for his ransom； ordered that this gold be brought to Pizarro。
〃Messengers carried the order like the wind； so swift that in five days the priests of the sun carried their gold from the temples to save the life of Atahualpa。〃
Felipe paused； puffing at his cigarette； glanced at his audience； and continued：
〃But Hernando Pizarro； brother of the great Pizarro； suspected a delay in the carriers of gold。 From Pachacamac he came with twenty horsemen； sowing terror in the mountains； carrying eighty loads of gold。 Across the Juaja River and past Lake Chinchaycocha they came； till they arrived at the city of Huanuco。
〃There were temples and gold and priests and soldiers。 But when the soldiers of the Inca saw the horses of the Spaniards and heard the guns； they became frightened and ran away like little children； carrying their gold。 Never before had they seen white men； or guns； or horses。
〃With them came many priests and women； to the snow of the mountains。 And after many days of suffering they came to a cave； wherein they disappeared and no more were seen； nor could Hernando Pizarro and his twenty horsemen find them to procure their gold。
〃And before they entered the cave they scaled a rock near its entrance and carved thereon the likeness of a horse to warn their Inca brethren of the Spaniards who had driven them from Huanuco。
That is his story； senor。〃
〃But who told you all this； Felipe？〃
The arriero shrugged his shoulders and glanced about； as much as to say； 〃It is in the wind。〃
〃But the cave？〃 cried Desiree。 〃Where is the cave？〃
〃It is there； senora；〃 said Felipe； pointing through a passage to the right。
Then nothing would do for Desiree but to see the cave。 The arriero informed her that it was difficult of access； but she turned the objection aside with contempt and manded him to lead。
Harry； of course； was with her； and I followed somewhat unwillingly； for； though Felipe's history was fairly accurate； I was inclined to regard his fable of the disappearing Incas as a wild tradition of the mountains。
He had spoken aright…the path to the cave was not an easy one。 Here and there deep ravines caused us to make a wide detour or risk our necks on perilous steeps。
Finally we came to a small clearing； which resembled nothing so much as the bottom of a giant well； and in the center of one of the steep walls was an opening some thirty or forty feet square； black and rugged； and somehow terrifying。
It was the entrance to the cave。
There Felipe halted。
〃Here； senor。 Here entered the Incas of Huanuco with their gold。〃
He shivered as he spoke； and I fancied that his face grew pale。
〃We shall explore it！〃 cried Desiree； advancing。
〃But no； senora！〃 The arriero was positively trembling。 〃No！ Senor； do not let her go within！ Many times have my countrymen entered in search of the gold； and americanos； too； and never did they return。 It is a cave of the devil； senor。 He hides in the blackness and none who enter may escape him。〃
Desiree was laughing gaily。
〃Then I shall visit the devil！〃 she exclaimed； and before either Harry or I could reach her she had sprung across the intervening space to the entrance and disappeared within。
With shouts of consternation from Felipe ringing in our ears； we leaped after her。
〃Desiree！〃 cried Harry。 〃e back； Desiree！〃
There was no answer； but echoing back from the night before us came faint reverberations…could they be footsteps！ What folly！
For I had thought that she had merely intended to frighten poor Felipe； and now… 〃Desiree！〃 Harry called again with all the strength of his lungs。 〃Desiree！〃
Again there was no answer。 Then we entered the cave together。
I remember that as we passed within I turned and saw Felipe staring with white face and eyes filled with terror。
A hundred feet and we were enpassed by the most intense darkness。 I muttered： 〃This is folly； let us get a light；〃 and tried to hold Harry back。 But he pushed me aside and groped on； crying： 〃Desiree！ e back； Desiree！〃
What could I do？ I followed。
Suddenly a scream resounded through the cavern。 Multiplied and echoed by the black walls； it was inhuman； shot with terror； profoundly horrible。
A tremor ran through me from head to foot； beside me I heard Harry gasp with a nameless fear。 An instant later we dashed forward into the darkness。
How long we ran I could never tell； probably a few seconds； possibly as many minutes。
On we rushed； blindly； impelled not by reason； but by the memory of that terr